Missing Israeli teens found dead in West Bank

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Missing Israeli teens found dead in West Bank

WEST BANK — The bodies of three Israeli teenagers who’d been reported missing this month have been found in a field north of Hebron in the West Bank, Israel’s Channel Two and Channel Ten reported Monday, citing sources in the Israeli military.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency security Cabinet meeting about the issue; an announcement from the Cabinet is expected shortly, according to the Israeli military.

The three teens — Eyal Yifrach, 19, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Frenkel, 16 — disappeared late June 12 or early June 13 from the a Jewish settlement — Gush Etzion — in the West Bank, the Israeli military has said.

Last week, the Israel Security Agency said it believed two “Hamas activists from Hebron” were behind the teens’ disappearances.

Israeli security forces conducted an extensive search for the teens. Within days after their disappearance, Israeli soldiers had detained more than 150 Palestinian suspects.

The military said Hamas leaders and operatives were among the suspects.